With Andhra CM in town, FM hopes for satisfactory solution

August 5, 2016, 6:32 AM IST

New Delhi: As Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu arrived in Delhi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today expressed hope that a satisfactory solution would be found to the state’s demand for special status as several decisions have been taken and some are in the pipeline.

“I said (few days back) that we are fully conscious of the fact that justice has to be done to Andhra Pradesh because Andhra Pradesh has lost out as far as division is concerned and there are several set of decisions which we have already taken,” Jaitley said in the Lok Sabha.

“Some are in the pipeline which we are taking, some matters we are in active discussion to find out a solution to the problem. I myself spoke to the Chief Minister day before yesterday and he is also going to be in town to discuss this and I am quite hopeful of finding a solution to the satisfaction of people of Andhra Pradesh,” he added.

TDP, a partner in the ruling NDA, has been demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh and Chandrababu Naidu will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi here tomorrow in this regard.

On MPLAD issue, Jaitley assured the Lok Sabha that government will consider raising the MPLAD allocations.

“I will certainly convey to my colleagues in the government, so that this subject is also taken into consideration,” he said while responding to suggestion by Deputy Speaker Thambi Durai and other members to increase MPLAD allocations.

During a discussion on first batch of supplementary demands for grants in the Lower House, several members including Rajiv Satav (Congress) wanted increase in the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund to Rs 25 crore from Rs 5 crore per annum.

Supporting the members, Thambi Durai said: “You (Jaitley) are the deciding factor…The members are hearing that something has to be done. Today you consider that….The hall will be happy”.